1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to printing systems and, more particularly, to text and graphics printing systems for use with microprocessor-based computers.
2. Background Art
In conjunction with microprocessor-based computers, it is well known to employ so-called "desktop" printers that provide multi-color graphics. However, conventional desktop color printers have several shortcomings. For example, color printers of the electrophotographic type require complex and expensive mechanisms to sequentially form and align color frames. While some desktop color printing technologies, such as inkjet, are less complex than electrophotographic printing, those technologies do not provide the line acuity and speed desired for printing document quality text. On the other hand, high-quality monochrome text printing technologies for desktop use, notably laser printers, do not provide high-quality color graphics. Thus, it can be said that conventional desktop printers generally either print high-quality monochrome text or high-quality color graphics, but not both, at high speeds and low cost.
Accordingly, there exists a need for low-cost, high-speed desktop printers that can be used with microprocessor-based computers to print high-quality color graphics as well as high-quality monochrome text. The present invention, as explained in the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, provides a desktop printing system to satisfy the above-stated need.